The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1887-06-08
DRIVEN TO DESPERATION.
The Brutal Treatment of Their Keepers
Causes the Convict Revolt.
Snecinl 10 the Cnmmercinl.

| The brutal treatment OF THEIR Keepers
Causes tho Convict Revolt.
Special TO the Commercial.
AUGUSTA, KY, May 30.-The excite
ment at Camp Shilo, KY, about twenty
miles below here, on the line of the NAYS
vile & Big Sandy railroad, has not yet
subsidized. The continued outbreaks of
the cOnvicts has caused much fear and
will delay work. There are at that camp
about 1900 convicts under the employ
of Conner Il Mason, who have q large
railroad contract and pay the State 80
cents day piece for the convicts who
are under the supervision of State In
spector Everett. The contractors furnish
the necessary food and clothing, and EN-.
plOy sufficient force of guards. The
guard force has not been very good of
late and number of convicts have es-
capped, but in most cases were found and
brought back.
Last Thursday two more convicts es-
capped, and trusty informed head clerk
G. G.. Marshall that a plot had been
planned by which the whole force were
to attempt to escape. They are worked
in squads of twenty, with two guards to
each squad. The outbreak was TO start
at the upper squad and go through.
The next day Mr.. Marshall went to
the upper squad to inform them that the
consequences would be severe if an at
tempt to escape was made. When he
appeared upon the scene his attention
was attracted to one of the cart mules !;
the pad underneath the saddle on the
mule had been displaced, and he stopped
the cart to arrange it. When he stopped
over George NJ. Mclaughlin, five year
man who was working close by was seen
to stealthily steal up behind him and
dealt Marshall a terrible blow over the
head with shovel he carried in his
hand. Another convict, a negro named
Hawk Horton, ran over and he too began
to beat Marshall over the head, who had
fallen unconscious from the blow dealt
by Mclaughlin. The remaining con-
victs, Mt this moment, made for the
guards with fury. The revolt was on
and the guards began to use their guns
as clubs also, but were Outnumbered
and compelled to shoot. Guard Nelson
was the first - open fire, and McLaugh-
lin fell dead at the first shot. Other
shots followed and perfect fusillade was
kept up. When the fire ceased the ia
bles had turned and the COnviCts crowd
| ed into one corner of the fill. Hawk
Horton and Lewis Jouell were most seri-
ously injured. At this moment mes
senger was sent for reinforcements, and
they came quickly. The Convicts were
then ordered in line and a march taken
up to camp, a wagon carrying the wound
ed. Only the greatest GOODNESS prevented
outbreaks at other points.
a half hour after Mclaughlin was shot
the entire seventy-fve convicts had been
marched back to the camp and were be-
hind bars in the guard house. There
they grew desperate and effort after effort
was made to tear down the place, but
the guard stood firm.
1t has become alarming the way the
cOnvicts have been escaping all along
the line of the Ohio river. At the camp
at Foster five men escaped Il few days
ago, and revOlts of minor Importance are
common. The cruel whipping post is
used, and the lash is freely administered
They are worked from O'Clock in the
morning until o'clock in the evening,
and are treated most cruelty.
The following dispatch was immedi-
ately sent to State Inspector Everett,
who was at his home in Frankfort:
"Head Clerk Marshall has been fatal
ly wounded by a convict. Convict Nc.
Laughlin dead; Horton dying. Come
Immediately" He is at the scene now,
and thinks another man will be impli-
Gated in the murder. The Commercial
was informed by steamboat captain that
Horton has since died.